Maine’s Rules for Petition Circulators Likely Unconstitutional

A preliminary injunction against a Maine law that prevents out-of-state entities from circulating ballot petitions was upheld by the First Circuit.

The plaintiffs were a nonprofit group, a political action committee, a state representative, and a professional circulator who lives in Michigan.

The US District Court for the District of Maine correctly concluded that the law’s requirements that circulators be state residents and registered to vote in the state likely violate the First Amendment, the opinion by Chief Judge David J. Barron said Thursday.

The restrictions pose a severe burden on political speech because they inhibit communications with voters and ...